Atlanta — August 9, 2006

Dr. David A. Palmer, president of Andrew College, in Cuthbert, Ga., was named today as president of Waycross College by the Board of Regents, as recommended by University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr.

Palmer is replacing Waycross College President Barbara P. Losty, who retired on July 31 after 10 years in the position. He will report to USG Chief of Staff Rob Watts, to whom all USG two-year-college presidents report.

Regent Mansfield Jennings chaired the Special Regents’ Committee, and William Deason, vice president for business affairs at Waycross College, chaired the campus Presidential Search and Advisory Committee that narrowed the search process down to Palmer’s selection from a pool of national candidates.

Palmer will be on the Waycross campus to meet students, faculty and staff on the first day of classes and will transition to the college in September.

“I am delighted with the board’s decision,” said Watts. “Dr. Palmer has decades of experience in higher education administration, including a previous two-year college presidency, and a deep appreciation for South Georgia. He is a great fit for Waycross College and will be committed to maintaining its quality and keeping it affordable, accessible and student-centered.”

Since 2002, Palmer has held the presidency of Andrew College, a private, two-year college in Randolph County operated under the auspices of the United Methodist Church. He has served as the college’s primary fund raiser and facilitated $1.8 million ­in gifts to the 2004-2005 annual fund.

Palmer also currently is president of the Georgia Association of Colleges, an independent organization dedicated to maintaining and improving educational standards in Georgia’s public and private colleges and universities. He also has served on the program planning committee of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church during his presidency at Andrew College.

Palmer spent 21 years as vice president for student life and dean of students at Hanover College, in Hanover, Ind., where he also taught courses in organizational behavior in the college’s Department of Economics and Business Administration for 12 years. Before that, he served as vice president and dean of students at Transylvania University, in Lexington, Ky., where he revised and rebuilt the student life program during the period of 1976 to 1981.

Palmer also was affiliated with Michigan State University, in East Lansing, from 1970 to 1976, supervising a 1,200-student residence hall for the first two years, and eight residence halls serving 5,100 students for the remaining four years. From 1968 to 1970, he served as the dean of men at Buena Vista College, in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Palmer earned a Ph.D. in higher education administration in 1976 from Michigan State. He also received an M.B.A. in organizational behavior/management in 1986 from Xavier University, in Cincinnati, Ohio; an M.A. in college student personnel in 1967 from Ohio State University, in Columbus; and a bachelor’s degree in sociology/English in 1965 from Hanover College.

Palmer and his wife, Nancy, have three married children and four grandchildren.

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